94 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF ONTARIO. 



abounds. Some of the most interesting passages are those that deal with the 

 phenomena of variation caused by environment, the results of the glacial epoch in the 

 distribution of species, the eflfect of altitude on plants and insects, the evolution of the 

 genus Colias, the production of colours, the causes of hybernation, and other topics 

 ■which arise from time to time as the author rambles through the valleys or climbs 

 the Alpine hills. The perusal of such a book as this must help the reader to see and 

 observe, and lead him on to think out for himself the causes and the objects of the 

 life that everywhere surrounds him. — C. J. S. B. 



A Manual for the Study of Insects, by John Henry Comstock and Anna Botsford 

 Comstock ; Ithaca, N.Y. Comstock Publishing 'Co., 1895. 



This is a work of 700 pages, profusely illustrated. A table of the classes of the 

 Arthropoda is given, followed by a short characterization of the Crustacea. Thirty-three 

 pages are devoted to the Arachnida, and a table is given for separating the principal 

 families of the Araneida. The Myriapoda are briefly referred to, and chapter iii. 

 begins the discussion of the true insects (Hexapoda). Nineteen orders are recognized, 

 and a careful table is given for their practical determination. 



In the remainder of the work, 618 pp., the several orders are treated with tables 

 carrying the student to the families, each illustrated by typical common species, of which 

 brief accounts are given. 



In the lepidoptera, diptera and hymenoptera, the uniform system of nomenclature 

 of the wing veins discussed by Prof. Comstock in " Evolution and Taxonomy " is 

 applied throughout the orders. As stated in the preface but slight changes are made 

 from the usual classification of the families, except in the lepidoptera where the 

 system proposed in "Evolution and Taxonomy" is adopted with slight changes. Thi& 

 is remarkably like Dr. T. A, Chapman's classification from pupal characters and the 

 present writer's one on larval characters. All three agree in breaking up the old 

 groups Zygpenidse and Bombyces, and the several members are referred to essentially 

 the same places. The work affords fcr the first time a means for teacher as well as 

 student to determine the family of any North American insect, lor here synoptic tables 

 replaoe the vague characterization so generally in vogue in zoology. To bring the tables 

 down to species, as is done so satisfactorily in botany, as the author remarks, would 

 make the work of enormous length, not to mention the fact that the present state of our 

 knowledge of insects dees not warrant such an undertaking. The work seems a very 

 valuable and timely one. — Harrison C Dyar. 



"We wish to add to the foregoing notice our hearty congratulations to Prof. Com- 

 stock and his talented wife upon the completion of their excellent work, and our trib- 

 ute of praise for the thcioughly admirable manner in which they have performed it. It 

 is now a little more than six } ears since we noticed in these pages the first part of this 

 work, which consisted of 234 pages and 200 wood cuts; we then stated that "judging 

 from the portion before us we have no hesitation in saying that the complete woik will be 

 a most valuable and admirable manual of entomology ; in clearness and simplicity of 

 style, in excellence of illustration and in arrangeirent of matter it leaves nothing to be 

 desired." This prediction has been most completely fulfilled, the volume before us being, in 

 several respects, even an improvement upon the original publication. The neAv illustra- 

 tions are more artistic, and the diagrams of wing-venation and details are clear and 

 accurate; the synoptic tables will afford any painstaking student satisfactory means 

 of classifying into families any specimens that he collects, while the letter-press and figures 

 will enable him to determine a large number of species. We heartily commend the work to 

 all who are beginning to study entomology, and we can assure others, who have made some 

 progress in the science, that they will find in it a vast deal of help and information that will 

 prove of the utmost value. We may add that the illustrations consist of 800 wood cuts 

 and six beautiful full-page plates, the one forming the frontispiece being coloured. The 

 price of the work is so reasonable that it is within^the reach of all, — 0. J. S. B. 



